National Grid plc : Public invited to have their say

National Grid is inviting the public to identify areas and locations which are particularly valued by local communities as it considers the more detailed routeing for a proposed 400,000 Volt power connection between south Suffolk and Essex.

Since last autumn the company has been consulting residents, local authorities and environmental and other bodies as it considers whether it may be appropriate to place underground sections of a proposed transmission line between Bramford, near Ipswich, and Twinstead Tee, near Sudbury.

The company is holding a series of drop-in events during late January and early February to present the information and consultation feedback it has gathered so far to the public and give people the chance to comment.

National Grid project manager Martin Davies said: "National Grid's job is to connect people to the energy they use. The Bramford-Twinstead Tee connection is needed to connect proposed new power generators to the East Anglian system and help meet the country's energy needs with new low carbon sources of generation.

"We are currently consulting people to develop a detailed design for the connection. We want to work with local communities to minimise the impact of any new infrastructure and as part of our consultation we are giving consideration to areas where the significant extra cost of installing cables underground and the environmental effects it would cause, may be outweighed by the other benefits it may bring to the environment.

"Since the autumn we have been consulting with local residents, through independently-chaired community forums, and with local authorities and other bodies through 'thematic groups'.  We have gathered a great deal of information and now we would welcome the views of the wider public."

Details of the events are below:

Friday 27 January, Stoke by Nayland Village Hall, 2pm-8pm
Saturday 28 January, Hadleigh Town Hall, 2pm-8pm
Tuesday 31 January, Twinstead Village Hall, 2pm - 8pm
Wednesday 1 February, Castle Hedingham Village Hall, 1pm - 7pm
Thursday 2 February, Hintlesham Community Centre, 2pm - 8pm

National Grid hopes to identify its preferred areas for undergrounding in the spring. After which it will continue to consult on detailed routes for any underground cables and for an overhead line in those areas where the connection is proposed to go over ground, as well as measures to reduce the impact on the landscape of any infrastructure.

Following final (Stage 3) consultation on a proposed detailed connection design, National Grid would expect to apply for consent to the Infrastructure Planning Commission or its successor in summer 2013.

As part of its ongoing consultation, the company set up four independently-chaired community forums, made up of local residents, which meet regularly. A summary of the issues discussed at the forums is available on the project website at . A summary of the January meetings is due to be posted on the website on Wednesday 18 January.

This consultation follows the company's announcement, in July 2011, of Route Corridor 2 as its preferred route corridor - a broad swathe of land within which overhead lines and underground cables could be sited.

The majority of Corridor 2 runs alongside an existing 400,000 Volt National Grid overhead line and contains a UK Power Networks 132,000 Volt line. Under this option National Grid would take down the 132,000 Volt line from Burstall Bridge to Twinstead Tee and build a new 400,000 Volt overhead line. A new substation will be needed west of Twinstead Tee to secure power supplies to the UK Power Networks system.

People can find out more information about the project by: visiting the project website at ; emailing [e-mail]; calling  freephone 0800 377 7340 or writing to the freepost address at Freepost National Grid Connections.

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Contact for media information only:

Sara Wilcox
National Grid Media Relations

01926 655271
07899 983792
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National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks.  The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century.  National Grid holds a vital position at the centre of the energy system and we 'join everything up'. 

In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.  In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.

National Grid in the UK:

• We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
• We own and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
• Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses
• We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
• National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).